How Many Is A Sounder ??

[pruhdlr]

Several days ago we had a farmer report to us that he saw 100 hogs crossing a farm road. The most that I have ever seen in a bunch was about 40 and this was on a property on the edge of a river swamp.

In the fields that we hunt we have spotted sounders of up to 30 hogs. But 100 ?? Have any of you Texas guys seen this many hogs in one bunch (sounder ??) ??

We have had several downpours since this report but we are gonna see if we can pick up the tracks anyway. Heck ..... 100 hogs should have made a freeway. --- pruhdlr

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

Was he cross eyed? I had a cross eyed neighbor once tell me that both of you need to get off my property. Just sayin'.

 

[Ratdog68]

Was he cross eyed? I had a cross eyed neighbor once tell me that both of you need to get off my property. Just sayin'.

I used to be schizophrenic, but we're doing much better. LOL

A guy would feel like a bison hunter of old, standing there as a sounder that size goes by.

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

You can say that again

 

[Ratdog68]

You can say that again

LOL... I guess WE did. But, I swear, we're doing much better.

I'd be tempted to reach for my .45-70 loaded up with hard nosed lead cast to tunnel through a few with each shot.

 

[rob072770]

LOL... I guess WE did. But, I swear, we're doing much better.

I'd be tempted to reach for my .45-70 loaded up with hard nosed lead cast to tunnel through a few with each shot.

Tonka Tonka..... 45-70 big Tonka.............

 

[Ratdog68]

Ta-tonka.... BIG ta-tonka. LOL

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

Buffler

 

[Brian Shaffer]

A sounder is generally defined as one or more family units (sow and offspring) or group of multiple pigs. I would assume it would be 3 or more, LOL.

The largest group I have seen had a lot more than 40 hogs (stopped counting at 40) and I would have guessed over 50. A sounder of a 100 would be huge in my world.

I saw a video some years ago of a "super sounder" somewhere in Europe that was a large herd of hogs. The video was 3 or 4 minutes long and the entire video was of hogs walking and trotting by the camera. There were several hundred hogs.

 

[FrankT]

This is in TX, what it is called is several sounders coming together and generally because of a large easy food source

 

[pruhdlr]

Tried counting the above several times and always came up with a different number,but none over 60. Add another 40 or so and ..... HOLY **** !! This is why I really doubt that the farmer ever managed to count 100 hogs. And .... how long does it take for 100 hogs to cross a farm road ??

I cannot find a single seasoned hunter to tell me that they have ever seen this many hogs in one(bunch)sounder,large sounder,several sounders moving together,etc,etc.

Rain again last night and this AM so again,could not go take a look. Right now I'm calling BS. --- pruhdlr

 

[Lancer]

I've seen 2 or 3 sounders together but never 100 pigs @ once. My guess would be 60. Where we hunt you can tell they are different sounders because they run "home" different directions when the lead flies. 100 together in my world would indicate a mass exodus for some reason.

 

[FrankT]

In addition a farmer seeing so many he just throws a number out, doubtful he counted them. It really does not matter the number, he saw a bunch of hogs and probably more wild ones than he had ever seen..Sorta like hog hunters and their 300lb hog that really weighs 185...lol

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

I've seen over 100 in a field but they were several different sounders. You could tell which groups were together even when they got close almost like watching schools of fish. This was before I could record and now the numbers are down with good eradication efforts.

 

[rob072770]

Franks looks like a hog farm. I am sorry free range hogs....... Ha ha. Will,they have to register with the USDA like chickens?

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

There's like 75 in the picture of Franks, that's a mess -o- hogs!
Here is a group from a couple years ago that kept coming past my traps and growing until they ran helicopters in the area.

 

[FrankT]

75 is about right and if you blow it up there are more coming from beyond the trees. The pic I posted was from Seguin TX. The outfitter is supposedly doing eradication for the landowners but only take 1 2 or 3 per customer, really doing the landowner a disservice by not killing all they can. If a farmer tells you to kill them to protect his crops, you kill all you can, otherwise you should not be there.

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

Well...my opinion would differ a bit, because as a business, taking hunters, you want to continue to be in business so setting some limits may be necessary.

 

[FrankT]

Of course as an outfitter you would put limits but these farmers are letting them hunt there to get rid of the hog problem damaging their crops. So do you lie to the landowner or do him the service properly?

 

[customcutter]

This is in TX, what it is called is several sounders coming together and generally because of a large easy food source

View attachment 2616

That is easily mag dump territory, so I would have to find a belt fed machine.LOL